Africa News

Riots in Arab Spring hometown after Tunisia poll results

By Mounir Souissi and Clare Byrne Oct 27, 2011, 23:42 GMT

Members of the Independent Regional Institute for Election (IRIE) announce the results of the votes from nine provinces in Tunisia\'s first-ever free elections in Tunis, Tunisia, 25 October 2011. EPA/ZACARIAS GARCIA

Tunis/Paris - Tunisia's election commission announced Thursday that the moderate Islamist party Ennahda won the country's first free elections last weekend.

But the announcement, which had been expected, was overshadowed by rioting in the central town of Sidi Bouzid, birthplace of the Arab Spring.

Around 2,000 people fought pitched battles with the police and army after the election commission invalidated some of the election lists presented by a popular businessman from the area.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who set fire to the municipality building, to a regional government building and to the local office of Ennahda, eyewitnesses told dpa.

Al Aridha El Chaabia, the party of London-based millionaire businessman Hechmi Hamdi, caused surprise by outvoting Ennahda in Sidi Bouzid and placing fourth overall.

The election commission invalidated the party's lists in six constituencies over 'financing irregularities'. Critics had accused Hamdi of using foreign funding in his campaign.

Meanwhile, Ennahda, which was banned under ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was confirmed as winning 90 seats in the 217-seat constituent assembly, making it the clear winner.

The next biggest party, the leftist Congress of the Republic, won 30 seats, followed by the social-democratic party Ettakatol with 21 seats. In fourth place was Al Aridha El Chaabia, with 19 seats, and in fifth, with 17 seats, the Progressive Democratic Party, previously the biggest opposition party.

Hamdi told Tunisia's private Mosaique FM his party would not take up its 19 confirmed seats.

The elections were the first since young people took to the streets in January to demand their corrupt leader of 23 years 'degage' (get lost).

That movement began with the self-immolation of a hard-up fruit seller in Sidi Bouzid, an act that triggered the anti-government protests which forced Ben Ali into exile in Saudi Arabia a month later.

Thursday night the town's youth returned to the barricades to protest what they saw as the disrespect of their vote, by the election commission and by Ennahda, whose secretary general Hamadi Jebali had openly criticized the people of Sidi Bouzid for supporting Hamdi.

Issam Affi, a 30-year-old olive farmer, who participated in the protests, told dpa by telephone: 'I don't support Hamdi but I think it's important that our vote is respected.'

A general strike was called for Friday in the town.

Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution inspired other Arab populations to rise up against repressive regimes in a wave of revolts that convulsed the Arab world.

People stood in line for hours on Sunday to vote on what kind of country they want to live in after half a century of one-party or strongman rule.

The newly-elected constituent assembly will write a new constitution over the next year and appoint a new interim government and interim president to rule until parliamentary and parliamentary elections.

Ennahda, which assures it is committed to democracy and human rights, has already begun talks with the Congress of the People and Ettakatol on the formation of a unity government.

The party has proposed its secretary-general Jebali for interim prime minister.

The head of Ettakatol, Mustafa Ben Jaafar, has been mooted as a possible interim president.